Special lssues
Table of Content

Renewable materials for sustainable development

Submission Deadline: 15 August 2020 (closed)

Guest Editors

Dr. Bernard Saw Lip Huat is currently an assistant professor in the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia. He received his Master degree from University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia in 2009 and Ph.D. degree from National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore in 2015. He is the chairperson for the UTAR Centre for Vehicular Technology and Chartered Engineer registered with the Engineering Council (UK). His research interests include green materials, renewable energy, thermal management, energy storage system and numerical modeling such as CFD, electrochemical modeling and electro-thermal modeling of the energy storage system. He is the co-chair for the International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Green Technology (SEGT 2018 & 2019).
Dr. Chong Wen Tong joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Malaya as associate professor after spending 10 years in various industries. He is a Chartered Engineer registered with the Engineering Council (UK). He served as the Programme Coordinator (Mechanical) for about 5 years (2011-2015) and currently he is the Head of UM Centre for Energy Sciences. He has co-authored >110 ISI technical articles (h-index = 27). He is the Conference Chair of International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Green Technology (SEGT 2018 & 2019).
Dr. Shufeng Song is currently an associate professor in the College of Aerospace Engineering of Chongqing University, China. He received his Ph.D. degree from Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, in 2011. His research interests include green materials, energy storage materials, solid electrolytes and batteries.

Summary

The special issue on renewable materials for sustainable development covers research in applied or fundamental science of nano-, micro-, meso- and macro-scale aspects of green materials for sustainable development. It focuses on recent progress and research studies of materials related to sustainable development applications, particularly in the development of alternatives to traditional materials or processes that offer environmental advantages. The papers may present theoretical, numerical or experimental findings within the context of green materials with an emphasis on reducing the use of hazardous substances in the design, manufacturing and application of commercial products. Interesting topics considered are including but not limited to the following:
● Emerging materials for sustainable energy and environment
● Innovative materials for water-energy-health nexus
● Eco-building materials for sustainability and innovative construction
● Materials applications related to green energy
● Bio-based materials and bioenergy


Keywords

Green materials; sustainable development; eco-building materials; bio-materials; green energy

Published Papers


  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Novel Magnetically Interconnected Micro/Macroporous Structure of Monolithic Porous Carbon Adsorbent Derived from Sodium Alginate and Wasted Black Liquor and Its Adsorption Performance**

    Parichart Onsri, Decha Dechtrirat, Patcharakamon Nooeaid, Apiluck Eiad-ua, Pongsaton Amornpitoksuk, Supanna Techasakul, Ahmad Taufiq, Laemthong Chuenchom
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.6, pp. 1059-1074, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013362
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract The novel and facile preparation of magnetically interconnected micro/ macroporous structure of monolithic porous carbon adsorbent (MPCA) were designed and presented herein. The synthesis was achieved via conventional freeze-drying and pyrolysis processes. In this study, sodium alginate and wasted black liquor were employed as starting precursors. Sodium alginate acts as a template of materials, whereas black liquor, the wasted product from the paper industry with plentiful of lignin content and alkaline solution, played an essential role in the reinforcement and activation of porosity for the resulting materials. Moreover, both the precursors were well dissolved in Fe3+ solution, providing a simple… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Enhanced Thermal Performance of Roofing Materials by Integrating Phase Change Materials to Reduce Energy Consumption in Buildings

    Chanita Mano, Atthakorn Thongtha
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.3, pp. 495-506, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013201
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract This work focused on characterizing and improving the thermal behavior of metal sheet roofing. To decrease the heat transfer from the roof into a building, we investigated the efficiency of four types of phase change materials, with different melting points: PCM І, PCM II, PCM III and PCM IV, when used in conjunction with a sheet metal roof. The exterior metal roofing surface temperature was held constant at 50°C, 60°C, 70°C and 80°C, using a thermal source (halogen lights) for 360 min to investigate and compare the thermal performance of the metal sheet roofing with and without phase change materials… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Ancient Materials and Substitution Materials Used in Thai Historical Masonry Structure Preservation

    Natthanan Wonganan, Chainarong Athisakul, Peerasit Mahasuwanchai, Weerachart Tangchirapat, Raktipong Sahamitmongkol, Sutat Leelataviwat
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 179-204, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013134
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract The historical structures of Thailand are some of the most fascinating ancient sites in Asia. Their architectures reveal past cultures, traditions, knowledge, and expertise. Masonry materials are the major materials used to construct the historical structures in Thailand. One of the essential problem of Thai historical structure preservation is a shortage of engineering properties data for the structural stability assessment. Moreover, the in-depth engineering properties and the suitable substitution materials for Thai historical preservation are rarely found. Therefore, the engineering properties of the ancient masonry materials have to be explored together with the development of suitable substitute materials. This paper… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Preparation of Activated Carbon from Durian Rind with Difference Activations and Its Optimization

    Pongsert Sriprom, Warawut Krusong, Pornsawan Assawasaengrat
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 311-324, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.012560
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Durian rind wastes are an important raw material for activated carbon production due to their renewable sources and low-cost materials. The efficiency of increasing surface area and the quantity of oxygen groups on the surface of activated carbon were studied for the preparation of activated carbon. The preparation of activated carbon has been studied with the different methods as follows: activation by acid, activation by base, hydrothermal and activation by acid, and hydrothermal and activation by base. The results showed that hydrothermal and activation by acid had high iodine number which was chosen to determine the optimum condition for activated… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Study on Factors Affecting Properties of Foam Glass Made from Waste Glass

    Yang Liu, Jianjun Xie, Peng Hao, Ying Shi, Yonggen Xu, Xiaoqing Ding
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 237-253, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.012228
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Foam glass is a new green material to make use of waste glass and is popular for its energy-saving and light weight features. The problems in the current study of foam glass is that its properties require improvement to match the growing demands of application specific standards. Properties of foam glass is related to its porous structure, which is affected by various factors. The influence of raw material component, foaming agents and sintering system on the porous structure and properties of foamed glass is studied. Density decreases with the decrease of quartz and barite content. Thermal conductivity is more affected… More >

  • Open Access

    REVIEW

    A Review on the Utilization of Waste Material for Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Production

    R. A. Rahman, A. Fazlizan, N. Asim, A. Thongtha
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 61-72, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013296
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) has become more attractive due to its excellent and environmental-friendly properties in building construction. AAC is relatively lightweight, possesses lower thermal conductivity, higher heat resistance, lower shrinkage, and fasten construction than normal concrete. AAC is a combination of silica sand, cement, gypsum, lime, water, and an expansion agent. To improve its physical and mechanical properties and reduce its production cost, tremendous innovations where waste materials were utilized as partial replacement of AAC materials were done. This paper is intended to present the literature on the utilization of waste materials as a means of a partial replacement… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Water Repellency of Cellulosic Fibrous Mats Impregnated with Organic Solutions Based on Recycled Polystyrene

    Dafni Foti, Costas Passialis, Elias Voulgaridis, Stergios Adamopoulos
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 85-96, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.011868
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Recycled polystyrene in combination with paraffin wax, alkyd resin, and gum rosin were used as components in formulations to investigate their water repellency when applied to cellulosic filter paper substrates. Polystyrene was used in concentration of 5, 10, 15 and 20%, alkyd resin and gum rosin of 5% each and paraffin wax of 0.5%. Totally, twenty four water repellent solutions were prepared. Water repellency was evaluated in terms of water absorption of the cellulosic fibrous mats. The relations between retention of solid substances of the formulations and grammage and water absorption of filter paper samples were also determined. The results… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Prediction and Analysis of Surface Quality of Northeast China Ash Wood during Water-Jet Assisted CO2 Laser Cutting

    Ting Jiang, Chunmei Yang, Yueqiang Yu, Bakary S. Doumbia, Jiuqing Liu, Yan Ma
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 119-128, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.011490
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract

    As a natural and environmentally friendly renewable material, Northeast China ash wood (NCAW) (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) was cut by water-jet assisted CO2 laser (WACL), the surface quality was evaluated by surface roughness of cut section. The surface roughness was measured by three-dimensional (3D) profilometry. Furthermore, the micromorphology of machined surface was observed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Carbon content changes of machined surface were measured by energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). A relationship between surface roughness and cutting parameters was established using response surface methodology (RSM). It is concluded that the cutting speed, laser power and water pressure played an important… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Preliminary Optimization and Kinetics of SnCl2-HCl Catalyzed Hydrothermal Conversion of Microcrystalline Cellulose to Levulinic Acid

    Dexby de Guzman, Rizalinda de Leon
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 145-162, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.011646
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Levulinic acid (LA) is a platform biorefinery chemical from biomass which can be converted to green solvents, plasticizers, polymer precursors, bio-based cleaning agents, fuels and fuel additives. This study assessed the potential of SnCl2-based mixed acid systems as catalyst in the hydrothermal conversion of microcrystalline cellulose to levulinic acid. Maximum LA yield of 36.2 mol% was achieved using 0.2 M SnCl2 concentration at test conditions of 3 h, 180°C and 1% w/v cellulose loading. To reduce precipitate formation and further improve LA yield, the strategy employed was to combine SnCl2 (a Lewis acid) with conventional mineral acids (Bronsted acids). Evaluation… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    3D Printing of Polylactic Acid Bioplastic–Carbon Fibres and Twisted Kevlar Composites Through Coextrusion Using Fused Deposition Modeling

    J. Y. Tey, W. H. Yeo, Y. J. King, W. O. Ding
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.12, pp. 1671-1680, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011870
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic is a common material used in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. It is biodegradable and environmentally friendly biopolymer which made out of corn. However, it exhibits weak mechanical properties which reduced its usability as a functional prototype in a real-world application. In the present study, two PLA composites are created through coextruded with 3K carbon fibres and twisted Kevlar string (as core fibre) to form a fibre reinforced parts (FRP). The mechanical strength of printed parts was examined using ASTM D638 standard with a strain rate of 1 mm/min. It has been demonstrated that the… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Alleviation of Drought Stress in Wheat Using Exogenous Ulva prolifera Extract Produced by Enzymatic Hydrolysis

    Feiyu Li, Siqi Zuo, Yongzhou Chi, Chunying Du, Zhaopeng Shen, Xihong Han, Xiaohui Wang, Peng Wang
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.11, pp. 1519-1529, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011453
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and reduce agricultural productivity. Use of algal extract as a biostimulant is gaining increased attention from researchers. This study aimed to investigate the potential of Ulva prolifera extract (UE) as a biostimulant when enzymatically extracted under conditions of water deficit. UE treatments (0.02%, 0.06%, and 0.1%) significantly improved the shoot length, root length, and dry weight of roots after 120 h of drought stress relative to that in treatment with the negative control. An increase in catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activity was also observed that resulted in… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Effects of Biochar Particle Size on Methane Emissions from Rice Cultivation

    Patikorn Sriphirom, Amnat Chidthaisong, Kazuyuki Yagi, Nimaradee Boonapatcharoen, Sudarut Tripetchkul, Sirintornthep Towprayoon
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.10, pp. 1199-1214, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.010826
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Biochar amendment is generally recognized as an effective mitigation option of methane (CH4) emissions from rice cultivation. Although its mitigation mechanisms are not well understood, the potential relevance of surface area and porosity of biochar has been discussed. This study aimed to evaluate the application of different biochar particle sizes on CH4 production, oxidation, and emissions from rice cultivation in a clay loam soil, based on the assumption that porosity and surface area of biochar are directly related to its mitigation effects. Rice was grown under greenhouse conditions for two growing seasons, either with 0.5–2 mm (small, SB) or with… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Degradation of Spent Radioactive Ion Exchange Resins and Its Mechanisms by Fenton Process

    Wendong Feng, Jian Li, Hongxiang An, Yunhai Wang
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.10, pp. 1283-1293, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011000
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Spent IERs are released during the operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The safe and efficient treatment of spent IERs is an emergent problem in nuclear industry. IRN77 is a typical ion exchange resin widely used in many nuclear power plants. Fenton process can degrade organic resins and reduce the radioactive residues volume and the disposal cost significantly. In this work, the IRN77 resin was selected as a model ion exchange resin and its treatment via Fenton process was investigated. The influencing factors for resin degradation, including catalyst dosage, reaction time, initial pH, temperature and oxidant dosage were investigated and… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Synthesis of Bio-Plasticizer from Soybean Oil and Its Application in Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Films

    Xiao Luo, Hongying Chu, Mengqi Liu
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.10, pp. 1295-1304, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011026
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Herein, epoxidized soybean oil methyl ester (ESOM) plasticizer was synthesized for the preparation of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films by the alcoholysis and epoxidation. The chemical structure of ESOM was investigated by infrared spectrum and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. The effect of content of ESOM and petroleum based plasticizer di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) on the performance of plasticized PVC films was studied. The result showed that substituting DEHP with ESOM can improve the thermal stability of plasticized PVC films. When the weight ratio of ESOM and PVC is fixed at 1:2, plasticized PVC film presents higher elongation at break (350.8% vs.… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Interfacial Modification of Corn Stalk Cellulose Reinforced Used Rubber Powder Composites Treated with Coupling Agent

    Weili Wu, Fengyu Chen
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.8, pp. 905-913, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.010558
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Corn stalk cellulose (CS)/used rubber powder (RP) composites were prepared by mixing, the silane coupling agent 3-Mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane (KH590), r-Aminopropyltrieth oxysilane (KH550), isopropyl dioleic (dioctylphosphate) titanate (HY101) and bis-(γ-triethoxysilylpropyl)- tetrasulfide (Si69) were used to modify the interface of composites. The effects of the CS and coupling agents on the mechanical properties, thermal properties, interfacial morphology and structure of the composites were investigated, respectively. The results showed that the addition of CS could effectively improve the mechanical properties of the composites. Compared with the untreated composites, the interfacial bonding between CS and RP was significantly improved by the coupling modifi- cation… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Experimental Research on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Concrete with Recycled Plastic Aggregates

    Haikuan Wu, Changwu Liu, Song Shi, Kangliang Chen
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.7, pp. 727-738, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09589
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract In order to study the effect of recycled plastic particles on the physical and mechanical properties of concrete, recycled plastic concrete with 0, 3%, 5% and 7% content (by weight) was designed. The compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and the change of mass caused by water absorption during curing were measured. The results show that the strength of concrete is increased by adding recycled plastic into concrete. Among them, the compressive strength and the splitting tensile strength of concrete is the best when the plastic content is 5%. With the increase of plastic content, the development speed of early strength… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    NaOH/Urea Swelling Treatment and Hydrothermal Degradation of Waste Cotton Fiber

    Lixia Gao, Sheng Shi, Wensheng Hou, Shuhua Wang, Zhifeng Yan, Chao Ge
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.6, pp. 703-713, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09055
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract In this study, waste cotton fabric was used as cellulose raw material and pretreated in aqueous NaOH/urea solution system to investigate the effect of NaOH/urea pretreatment solution on the hydrolysis of cotton fiber. The cotton fiber was pretreated with different conditions of aqueous NaOH/urea solution, and the pretreated cotton fiber was hydrolyzed under the same conditions as the original cotton fiber. The results of characterization analysis showed that water retention value of pretreated cotton fiber was higher than that of unpretreated sample. Moreover, the cotton fiber presented both a convoluted structure and a coarser surface, XRD results suggested that the… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    One-Step Synthesis of Magnetic Zeolite from Zinc Slag and Circulating Fluidized Bed Fly Ash for Degradation of Dye Wastewater

    Zhichao Han, Yaojun Zhang, Panyang He
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 405-416, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09351
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract In this study, a magnetic P zeolite was directly synthesized by utilization of industrial solid wastes of zinc slag (ZS) and circulating fluidized bed fly ash (CFBFA) via one-step hydrothermal method. The effects of different CFBFA/ZS ratios and hydrothermal times on the as-synthesized zeolite were investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) results indicated that the magnetic P zeolite possessed well-defined crystals and superparamagnetism. The as-prepared zeolite was employed as a Fenton-like solid catalyst for degradation of direct green B dye wastewater. It was discovered that the magnetic P zeolite took the advantage of rapid separation and… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Synthesis and Interfacial Properties of Bio-Based Zwitterionic Surfactants Derived from Different Fatty Acids in Non-Edible Vegetable Oils

    Hongze Gang, Qiqi Zhang, Wei Wang, Bangxin Cai, Jinfeng Liu, Shizhong Yang, Bozhong Mu
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 417-429, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09201
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract Waste cooking oils and non-edible vegetable oils are abundant and renewable resources for bio-based materials which have showed great potential applications in many industries. In this study, five fatty acids commonly found in non-edible vegetable oils, including palmitic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, ricinoleic acid, and their mixtures, were used to produce bio-based zwitterionic surfactants through a facile and high-yield chemical modification. These surfactants demonstrated excellent surface/interfacial properties with the minimum surface tensions ranging from 28.4 mN/m to 32.8 mN/m in aqueous solutions. The interfacial tensions between crude oil and surfactant solutions were remarkably reduced to lower values… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Sunflower-Like SrCo2S4@f-MWCNTs Hybrid Wrapped by Engineering N-Reduced Graphene Oxide for High Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Weiming Zhang, Muhammad Wasim Khan, Xueqin Zuo, Qun Yang, Huaibao Tang, Shaowei Jin, Guang Li
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 431-446, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09158
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract A novel sunflower-like nanocomposite of SrCo2S4 nanoflakes and functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) entanglement enveloped in nitrogen-reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) is prepared by a cheap process. The unique entanglement structure of the material exhibits higher specific surface area, better electrical conductivity and other properties. This helps to reduce the transfer resistance in the photoelectric process of the battery and improve the electrochemical activity, thus increasing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the battery. The new ternary cobalt-based sulfide material can replace platinum as the counter electrode (CE) material loaded on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). DSSCs with SrCo2S4@f-MWCNTs@N-RGO (SCS@f-M@N-R) as CE material… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Experimental Study of Waste Tire Rubber, Wood-Plastic Particles and Shale Ceramsite on the Performance of Self-Compacting Concrete

    Lei Tian, Liuchao Qiu, Jingjun Li, Yongsen Yang
    Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.2, pp. 154-170, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.08701
    (This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable materials for sustainable development)
    Abstract In recent decades, the utilization of waste tires, plastic and artificial shale ceramsite as alternative fine aggregate to make self-compacting concrete (SCC) has been recognized as an eco-friendly and sustainable method to manufacture renewable construction materials. In this study, three kinds of recycled aggregates: recycled tire rubber particles, wood-plastic particles, artificial shale ceramsite were used to replace the sand by different volume (5%, 10%, 20% and 30%), and their effects on the fresh and hardened properties of SCC were investigated. The slump flow and V-funnel tests were conducted to evaluate the fresh properties of modified-SCC mixtures. The hardened properties include… More >

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